Etching of the Gold Commissioners at Ballarat gold fields issuing licenses and weighing the gold dust.

Along with the image of the gold commissioners, The Illustrated London News also printed on the first page, an image of the 'First escort of gold', and 'The Ballarat diggings', all created by artist Dunn. An inscription from the paper relating to the images provides an explanation and description.

The illustrations upon the preceding page are from three of a series of Sketches we have just been favoured with by Mr. E.C. Dunn, of Chepstow, Mount Emu, Port Phillip; from whose communication the following are extracts:

"The gold at Ballarat is seldom found in large quantities till the miner has penetrated through a hard stony soil for a distance of ten or twelve feet, and reached a species of blue clay, in which at this place the gold is principally found; but it has been found in larger qualities at a depth of thirty-five feet, and imbedded in iron-stone."

"I forwarded you a Sketch of the first escort leaving the Buninyong inn. The first evening I passed at the inn during my visit to these diggings, a labouring man named Cavenagh walked by, carrying with him his day's earnings: they mounted to 600 (pounds). His mate marched behind him, carrying a double-barrelled gun. The man and his brothers have since, I understand, realised many thousands of pounds in this way; but this is by no means a rare instance."

"The diggers are usually formed among themselves into parties of four: one digs and turns, one or two cart the earth to the water, and one washes the earth. Nearly the whole of the ground lying between the tents and the creek, except where streets are left, is completely hollowed out into pits, averaging from 10 to 30 feet deep, and 8 feet square, the latter being the quantity allowed to each digger. Each digger is expected to pay a license fee to Government of 30s* per month, for which he is allowed 8 feet square to dig. The fee may be paid in gold dust. A great many pay, as so doing secures to the proprietor his pit, if it should prove a good one; whereas, if he has not paid the fees, another who applies and pays may turn him out. But by far the greater of the portion of diggers do not pay, and Government is not strong enough to compel them."

The Illustrated London News. For the week ending Saturday, 22 May 1852, page 401, column b.

*shillings